The Cracked Rainbow
by jeffthemermaid
Summary: Our beloved Avengers are teenagers and trying to navigate the difficulties of High School. Tony is devasted that Pepper is going away to spend six months as an exchange student in France. Despite his loyalty, what might happen when someone else starts stirring feelings inside him that he's always tried to ignore? Slow Burn FrostIron.
1. Chapter 1

Above the group, stars twinkled in the clear dark sky and the full moon shone brightly on the pale beach. A hundred or so metres in front of them waves crashed like thunder onto the sand and foamed towards them in a great rush, always stopping short by quite a distance. The air was cold and still. Around the edges of the beach, where the group's cars were parked, thick snow covered the sand.

In the middle of their group, a large fire crackled and popped, the flames licked skywards, wild, bright and providing much-needed warmth. Around the fire about a dozen people were sprawled on and under warm blankets and sleeping bags smiles on their faces as they snacked on roasted marshmallows and drank hot cocoa from thermos's that they held close to their bodies for warmth.

Tony Stark pulled the blankets he was covered in off, rose to his feet and took a log from the pile of driftwood they'd collected and placed it on the fire. His efforts sent up a flurry of sparks as the new log crushed the embers beneath the flames with a satisfying crunch. He stood in the orange glow for a few moments, appreciating the heat, before he stepped outside of the circle of happy faces and entwined bodies and headed down the cold beach toward the roaring waves.

It was mid-January at Rockaway Beach, near New York City, in 2019. It had been a cold but manageable winter, and it looked to continue that way for the rest of the season.

Tony was 17 years old and tomorrow he and the rest of his friends and classmates would go back to school in NY, and he would begin his last year of high school. Despite the school he attended being very prestigious and advanced, Tony had always longed to finish high school so he could go to MIT and fulfil his destiny as the worlds next billionaire/genius. He had looked forward to being a Senior, and up until a month ago, he'd been dying to get back into furthering his study.

Tony pulled his hood up and shivered a little as he walked through the brisk air down to the edge of the water where his girlfriend Pepper Potts was standing and looking out across the tumultuous ocean.

"Hey Pep." He said softly as he reached her wrapped his arms around her figure from behind. Pepper smiled and leaned into him, appreciating his body warmth through the layers of coats and jackets she was wearing and the familiar sensation of him holding her.

"What're you doing down here in the cold?" He asked, attempting a light tone to hide the melancholy feeling that was creating a pit in his stomach.

"Trying not to psych myself out before I go tomorrow." Pepper admitted, her tone kept carefully unemotional. She already felt enough guilt for leaving Tony, she didn't want to make him have to comfort her over going when she was the one who was leaving.

"You'll be fine, you've spent the last six weeks packing and preparing with more strategic planning than the military uses." Tony joked and set his chin on her shoulder and before pressing a kiss to her cold cheek. "You're going to go over there and stun the entire population of France with your astonishing beauty and stunning intellect."

"Mais tu vas me manquer." Pepper said quietly, gazing out at the ocean as she blinked back tears before they spilt onto her cheeks. Tony didn't speak a word of French, so she felt safe expressing that she'd miss him in her second language. She stood still in his arms for a few moments more before she managed to turn and around kiss him gently.

"Thank you, you are the most supportive future billionaire/genius in the state."

"In the country you mean." Tony corrected between kisses, enjoying these last moments with his girlfriend of two years before she flew away to Europe for six months.

"Whatever you say." Pepper conceded. She gave him another kiss and then took his hand in hers and squeezed it. None of the adults in her life thought their teen romance should even factor into her life decisions, but when she'd been accepted into a high-end international exchange student program her first thought was how much she wanted to be with Tony. She'd spent most of the winter break going back and forth, trying to decide. Eventually, with the full support of her boyfriend, she had chosen to go. And now it was her last night before she went and though she did not regret her choice, her excitement for the beginning of this new part of her life was tinged with sorrow.

Tony, much to his credit, had been a champion cheerleader for her to go and seize this opportunity. But inside the whole idea terrified him. His mother had been dead for so long he barely remembered her, and his father was constantly away on business. He was a cold man and father anyway, and though Tony had more money than he could ever use, love was something he had a considerable lack of. And that was why Pepper was so important. That was why the idea of going to his empty home each night without her bore down on Tony like the crashing waves in front of him at the beach.

Pepper had given him some of that love he so desperately craved, and now she was leaving. And though he was happy for her, and he'd done a great job of showing that, hidden away inside all he could think about was how alone he was going to be. They had agreed they would stay together, it was only six months they'd told themselves, they could have a long distance relationship for that time. Both Tony and Pepper wanted it to work, they both planned to work desperately to keep it working until she came back because neither wanted to end their relationship any time soon.

They strolled along the waters edge under the moonlight, hand in hand as each of them contemplated their imminent futures apart in companionable silence with nothing but the sound of the waves to keep them company.

Higher up on the beach Tony and Pepper's friends and classmates were sitting around the fire, talking and laughing in the warmth. In reality, it was more of Pepper's friends than Tony's. Tony was smart, and his wit, looks and money made him popular, but he didn't much like the jocks who took up most of the space in the popular circles. Pepper, on the other hand, was the schools head cheerleader and she thrived amongst the sports teams and all of their popularity. She herself was probably the most well-liked girl in school, but it wasn't a position she took much notice of.

Set around the fire were a few of the school's offence players for the football team. Their captain and quarterback, Steve Rogers, sat amongst his friends and looked over his shoulder at Tony walking down the beach with a critical eye.

Steve did not like Tony at all, things were very frosty between them. Steve had been born into a poor working class family and worked his way up through sport and received an elite scholarship to attend their school. He was a polite, well-mannered 17-year-old who'd been raised by a religious and simply family. He worked hard for everything he had, and the team meant everything to him. He didn't like how flashy and cocky Tony was, he didn't like his fancy car brought with his father's money or his fancy clothes brought with the same. He didn't like Tony's sarcasm, juvenile insults or his use of crass language.

Steve believed in earning what you had, drove a pickup truck and dressed in hand-me-down jeans and shirts. He only tolerated Tony because he was Pepper's boyfriend and she was on the cheerleading squad, so he saw her often and they were casual friends.

Steve's two closest friends were both on the football team with him. Bucky Barnes left guard, and Sam Wilson left tackle, were seated on either side of him and were roasting marshmallows. Sam had a pretty girl Steve didn't know well sitting beside him giggling at his jokes, and Bucky sat alone, his own blue-hued gaze following Steve's.

"What're we looking at?" Bucky asked his friend eventually, his tone barely suppressing his amusement.

"I didn't think you'd find the safety of our classmate funny." Steve reproached Bucky, his gaze flicking to his friend sternly before returning to see if Tony and Pepper were still walking.

"If you're trying to protect Pepper Pott's virtue, I reckon it's a bit late for that." Bucky replied with a wolfish grin and chomped down on another marshmallow.

"Don't be vulgar." Steve said, annoyed at the jokes his friend was making at Pepper's, their who cheered for them at every game they'd played since they were Freshman, expense.

"Sorry, geez." Bucky held his hands up in mock surrender. "I was only joking."

Across the fire from the football players sat a mixture of the school's jocks. Nebula Black, a tall willowy girl, with pale skin, closely cropped blue hair and a glass eye sat beside her close friend Natasha Romanoff, and Natasha's best friend, Clint Barton.

Both Nebula and Natasha were on the school track and swim teams, and both attended kickboxing and fencing outside of school. Clint was on the football team, he played centre, but his main love was archery. Natasha had flaming red hair and porcelain skin, and Clint sported a fierce looking down-hawk with faded sides. They were both tough despite being good looking, as was Nebula, and they were amongst those that only the dumbest student would mess with. The girls sat together, watching with scepticism as Clint attempted to eat the 13 marshmallows he'd roasted together on a stick all at once.

"That is beyond disgusting." Natasha commented, her disdainful tone cracking Nebula up to the point that she almost choked on the cocoa she'd been drinking.

"Oh my god, don't kill me before I graduate please." Nebula gasped amidst her laughter, pretending to slap her friend as she caught her breath. Her enjoyment abided substantially when she noticed her sister watching her with an unreadable expression. She shrunk in on herself, going quiet as she always did whenever she felt judged by her sister. Natasha noticed the self-conscious reaction in her friend and shot a nasty look in the direction Nebula was avoiding before putting a comforting arm around her.

Nebula's sister, Gamora, sat further away from them with her best friend Valkyrie Scrapper, who was commonly referred to just as Scrapper due to the many, many fights she'd gotten into as a child. She looked away from her sister silently, turning back to her friends and pushing her family troubles aside.

Gamora had naturally black hair that was dyed subtle shades of red and magenta at the ends, green eyes and dark brown skin. She and Nebula were an oddity, they were non-identical twins born with a rare appearance difference. Gamora was dark skinned like their African-American parents, and Nebula was pale skinned. The latter girls' dark brown eyes and naturally brown hair proved she didn't suffer from albinism, she was just a random genetic occurrence. They had become somewhat famous in the state as children after their parents sold their story to various gossip magazines without a thought for their children's privacy or dignity.

Growing up with the attention had caused a rift between the twins and their parents, and eventually between the sisters themselves. As it was, they were barely on speaking terms.

Scrapper (Valkyrie) was of Polynesian descent and her long curly dark hair framed her stunning face and ample bosom well. She herself had deep almond skin and glittering dark eyes. She and Gamora attended karate lessons outside of school and were on the school swim and wrestling teams. Both girls were strong, but Valkyrie, in particular, had notable muscles to compliment the curves and swerves of her body.

Beside Gamora, Thor, the football team's fullback, sat with his long pale blonde hair and short beard glinting in the firelight. He was tall and muscular like the rest of his teammates, but there was something extra imposing and eye-catching about him thanks to his Norwegian heritage. He was named after a Norse god, as were his siblings, and he certainly looked the part. Though young he could already grow a beard in a matter of weeks, much to most of the male population of the school's jealousy, and he had a deep and commanding voice that most of the boys and girls at school found incredibly sexy.

It was impossible not to notice his deep and rumbling laugh roll across the beach when Scrapper laid one of her witty jokes on their small group and he and Gamora erupted into uproarious laughter.

Thor enjoyed his time with the two girls, his best friend, Korg Stone was still away in New Zealand, his home country, and wouldn't return until later in the week. Though Thor was handsome, popular and a tad arrogant, he did not enjoy either the vulgar antics of most of the boys on his team nor the straight-laced attitude of his captain, Steve. Thor liked having a good time, life was a party to him, and because of this, he was more of a lone wolf than a lot of his teammates.

Scrapper and Gamora he liked, he did robotics class with them and Korg, and the four of them had become the closest thing to a squad Thor had ever been in.

Despite the different groups and the various animosities between them, the atmosphere in the cold night around the crackling fire was a good one, and most were having a good time.

Everyone was about to begin their Senior year together along with all of their classmates who were elsewhere on their last night of holidays. And their time around the fire served as both a farewell to the previous year and welcoming beacon for the year's adventures to come.


	2. Chapter 2

It felt absurdly early to be waking up. It was still completely dark outside and after an entire school break of sleeping in and lazing around, the cold before the dawn seemed unnecessarily cruel.

Thor had dragged himself out of bed reluctantly, still practically snoring as he relieved himself and even as he brushed his teeth. He was still battling sleep until he stripped out of his pyjama pants and stepped into the shower. The hot water woke him up properly and he quickly washed himself and his hair before turning off the faucet and wrapping a towel around his waist.

He went to the vanity and started applying shaving cream to the magnificent beard he'd grown over the break. "Goodbye old friend." Thor muttered to his reflection before picking up a razor and beginning to shave it off.

"I see you're talking to yourself now." Loki Odinson, clad in a fluffy pair of green pyjamas, stepped into the bathroom and shot a smirk at his older brother. "And they say I'm the weird one."

"Oh my god, get out of here you pervert." Thor said with laugh and turned around to toss a toothbrush at his younger brother. Loki grinned and side stepped the projectile easily. He and his brother always joked and ribbed one another, at this point it was more of an expression of love than an insult.

"Well hurry up, I need to shower." Loki complained and joined his brother at the vanity.

"Maybe you should have gotten up earlier." Thor suggested, staring at himself intently in the mirror as he used the sharp blade to remove the hair from his throat. "I have quite the job to do here."

"Perhaps you should have dealt with that _thing _yesterday." Loki retorted, gesturing at what was left of his brothers beard with one hand whilst brushing his teeth with the other. He himself was essentially incapable of growing a beard anyway, but he did prefer to keep his porcelain smooth skin hairless.

"I'll have you know that the ladies adored this thing." Thor said as he wiped the last of the cream from his face and then splashed water on his freshly shaven skin.

"Uh huh. Great reason to do something." Loki commented after he'd spat out a mouthful of toothpaste. "Pander to the opinions of little girls. Perfect."

"My, my, we are snarky this morning." Thor teased his brother, stopping to ruffle his thick black hair before grabbing his pants from the floor and heading to the doorway. "You should be nicer to me, I'm your ride to school."

"Yeah, yeah, now get out." Loki chuckled and went to close the door after his brother. He stripped quickly, careful not to look at himself in the mirror. The image of his older brothers' muscular figure, the ideal man in many eyes, torturing him as he tried to avoid looking at his own skinny body.

He showered quickly, spending time washing his silky black hair and every inch of his pale skin. Once he was sure he was clean he stepped out of the shower and dried off his body thoroughly. Wrapped in his damp towel he went back to his room and moisturised his skin. He dressed with meticulous detail in a pair of pressed black jeans, a t-shirt and a hoodie that had been washed and dried to the exact specifications on the tag. One of his favourite bands logos was printed in silver on the back of the hoodie, but otherwise he was dressed in entirely in black. He put on warm socks and a pair of old school vans, then styled his hair into a man bun once he'd finished dressing.

Loki grabbed his backpack off his desk where he'd left it after he'd finished perfectly packing it the night before and went downstairs to find some breakfast.

In the kitchen he found his mother, Frigga Odinson, sipping coffee at the table and Thor at the stove frying eggs and bacon. Thor had his blonde hair in a pony tail, and was wearing blue jeans and his red, white and blue letterman jacket.

"Good morning elskling." Frigga smiled at her youngest child and rose to kiss his forehead.

"Morning Mother." Loki returned her smile and hugged her. Despite being only 16, and still considerably shorter than Thor, he was more than a foot taller than his mother.

"Are you both ready for school?" Frigga asked her sons as she returned to her coffee.

"Of course, I was born ready." Thor said with a grin as he piled the large amount of breakfast he'd made onto a plate. "You want some of this little brother?" He added, holding out his plate to Loki as he went to the table.

"No, I'll pass." Loki raised an eyebrow at the grease pile Thor had made and went to the cupboard to pour himself some cereal. The little family ate together peacefully, minus only their older sister, until the clock signalled it was time to leave.

"Come on, we'll be late." Loki urged Thor from where he was already waiting by the door holding Thor's keys, wallet and backpack. "You know I get fidgety if we're late."

"Yes, I do, and it is this level of self awareness that makes you both more likeable and more irritating." Thor said to his brother as he met him at the door and took his things from him.

"You're such an ass." Loki muttered and pushed Thor's shoulder. They both laughed and called goodbye to their mother before leaving the warm house to trudge across the frozen ground outside to Thor's old Ford ute. Driving in the central part of NYC was ridiculous, but the school they attended stood on a large, sprawling property out in the suburbs, only half an hours drive from where Thor and Loki lived.

Already at school and sitting on the tall stone fence that surrounded the expansive property was T'Challa King. He was tall, lithe, muscled and his dark skin was smooth and taught across his chiselled body. T'Challa was the running back for the football team, and one of the nicest and humblest guys at school. His parents were rich beyond belief, but he never acted like he was better than any of his classmates.

He was the object of many affections at school, he dressed well, was incredibly handsome and he had a thick and sexy accent. His family had moved to NYC from Wakanda less than five years before his senior year began, and though they spoke English with ease, he as well as his younger sister had strong accents.

Shuri King, his younger sister, was standing on the pavement below him, shivering in the cold as she glanced impatiently up and down the street. She was a petite girl with stunning dark skin and natural black hair pulled back into braids.

"Where is this boy?" Shuri asked her brother, frustrated that she was outside in the cold waiting for a stranger she'd never met instead of being the in the warm computer lab working on one of her projects before class. "Why are we waiting?"

"I am not waiting for this boy." T'Challa reminded her, chuckling at his sister's frustration. "You are waiting because you are your class president, and it is your job to welcome and orient new students until the next class presidential elections."

T'Challa laughed outright when his sister shot him a filthy look and he rolled his eyes at her in return before he continued. "I am waiting for my friend, and when he arrives, I will abandon you to this peril."

Shuri narrowed her eyes and glared at her brother. "When my next robot is finished I am going to programme him to annoy you endlessly brother."

"It cannot be anyone worse than you are." T'Challa replied with a grin at the same time that he caught sight of his friend. He jumped down from the wall and patted his sister's shoulder before leaving her there to wait for the new kid. He adored his sister, and he had no doubt she could handle this task on her own.

"T'Challa!" Bucky Barnes drew closer to his teammate and friend and drew him into a hug. They clapped one another on the back before breaking apart and walking toward the grand front doors. "How're you doing? I hardly saw you over the break."

"Yes, my friend, my family and I spent much of the winter break in Wakanda." T'Challa gestured to the banks of snow on either side of the pathway and shivered. "I was not sad to leave this frozen place for a while."

Bucky grinned and elbowed his friend in the side. "What, you didn't miss all this?" He asked, his breath coming out in visible white puffs thanks to the cold.

"Not at all." T'Challa replied honestly, his own breath matching Bucky's. "And how are you my friend?"

"Oh, you know me, I'm always fine, living it up." Bucky shrugged, knowing full well he'd wasted most of his break watching Netflix and tinkering around with the old car in his garage. It wasn't much compared to staying in resorts in the warm and sunny African country his friend hailed from, but it was something.

The boys entered the school, walking under the grand archway and the overly fancy brass plaque nailed above it.

**Hevner Academy:**_**School for Boys and Girls with Distinction**_

Inside they immediately ran into two more members of the football team, Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson.

"Good morning teammates." Steve greeted them with polite smiles, his eyes warming when he saw his friends. "T'Challa, good to have you back, I hope you're ready for a gruelling season."

"Ready and roaring to go." T'Challa promised his captain with a smile.

Beside the main entrance, in one of the many adjacent halls that were lined with lockers, Gamora Black and Valkyrie Scrapper were flicking through their class schedules in front of the latter girl's open locker. The dress code at Hevner Academy was a relaxed one, it was a private school funded and designed for their students to achieve mental and physical prowess. The dress code was less and less important in today's age. Of course, there were rules, but unlike in many schools, Gamora's black t-shirt crop top, ankle boots, high waisted white jeans with holes at the knee's, cat eyeliner and dark lipstick were more than acceptable.

The large building was well heated, students often shed layers once inside, hence her lack of winter attire. Scrapper wore a sky blue t-shirt tied in a knot in the front, grey high waisted linen pants and high end sneakers. Her thick curly dark hair was loose around her shoulders and she wore no makeup.

Both girls were pleased with their schedules, they had been accepted into all of the classes they had wanted and were both scheduled to audition for the swim team again later that day. So far they'd both made it every year since they were freshman, and neither had any plan on missing out on a spot this year.

"I wonder who will become head cheerleader while Pepper is gone?" Gamora mused as she shut her schedule and tucked it into her cute green backpack.

Scrapper glanced across the hall and the various students crowded into it at Peppers empty locker. "I don't know, probably someone annoying as hell. She was too good to be true as far as cheerleaders go."

Gamora smirked in agreement and waved at Thor Odinson as he arrived at the other end of the hall. He returned the wave as another student, Bruce Banner, approached the girls. He stood in front of them as Scrapper shut her locker, a crooked grin on his face and his heavy backpack in tow.

"Hello ladies." Bruce was an awkward guy, he wore huge glasses and was a bona fide genius with science and physics, but his social abilities were not the strongest. He made Scrapper uncomfortable because he seemed like he was sweet and yet he was always looking at her breasts. As if she weren't self-conscious about the size of her ample bosom already. However, she'd been his lab partner the year before and now he seemed to think they were friends.

Gamora offered him a tight and dismissive smile before walking away to her own locker and checking her phone. Scrapper glared after her for a moment before she offered Brice a quick smile and greeted him before she too ducked away.

"Oh, that was rough Banner. Try looking girls in the eyes, they seem to like that." Thor Odinson's deep and booming voice made Bruce cringe as he walked past him and made his comment, clapping him on the back as he did so.

Loki followed Thor closely, following in the spacious wake his brothers' wide shoulders created in the chaotic mass of students. His brother was excellent at providing him an easy way of navigating the people filled halls.

Loki followed Thor until he saw his brothers football teammates waiting for him outside their classroom and he ducked away. He was a junior anyway and would have to split off from him eventually. Keeping his eyes low he ducked to the left, hoping none of the rough boys his brother played with would notice him, and ran smack into another student.

Loki, the wispy creature he was, fell backwards and would have tumbled to the ground if the person he'd run into hadn't reached out and grabbed his arms tightly. Loki gasped and looked up as he was set back on his feet. Immediately his cheeks flushed to a bright and embarrassing red.

"Hey, take it easy dude." Tony Stark said as he let go of the younger boys' shoulders and straightened his own jacket. "You alright?"

"Fine, th, thank you." Loki stuttered, shuffling awkwardly on the spot as he tried not to stare at the stunning senior standing in front of him. Tony was dressed gorgeously, his slim but strong body encased splendidly in fitted chinos, a hoodie and a thigh length jacket. Loki couldn't stand to look at his pretty face, Tony was unshaven, and his hair was tousled in that cute just rolled out of bed way and it was near intoxicating.

Without another word he stepped around the older boy and rushed to his classroom. He was beyond embarrassed, but he also couldn't stop thinking about the feeling of Tony's large hands holding his narrow shoulders as he caught him.

Inside his classroom he found his usual seat at the back empty and slid into it gratefully. As she always was, Shuri King was seated beside him at the next desk.

"Good morning Loki, this is our new classmate, Peter Parker." Shuri greeted him with a 100 killer watt smile and gestured to the cute boy sitting on the other side of her.

"Hi Peter." Loki offered shyly, relieved to feel the colour draining from his cheeks.

"Hi Loki! Shuri tells me you're Norwegian, and she's from Wakanda, omg everyone here is so exciting, my old school was pretty boring." Peter was immediately a bouncing ball of enthusiasm, he was practically hanging off of the edge of his seat as he spoke with vivid animation.

Shuri laughed, her laughter always sounded like bells, and she was the singular most pleasant person in Loki's whole grade, though it seemed like this Peter Parker might be about to give her some competition. She was dressed in her usual edgy but right on trend style that included baggy pants, a tight top and several gold choker necklaces. Peter was dressed similarly to Loki, but in a red sweatshirt, blue jeans and bright sneakers.

"This boy is crazy, he is so excited to meet us." Shuri giggled, clearly as bewildered and amused as Loki was.

Loki smiled, Peter's friendly nature put him at ease just as Shuri's did. "Well, my mother is second generation Norwegian. I've never been to Europe myself." Loki shrugged and crossed his legs on his seat, effectively sitting on them. "How about you, why have you transferred to Hevner?"

Peter answered quickly, frowning then smiling then chuckling in such a fast order it was confusing to watch. "My aunt moved out here for work, and I live with her, so here I am!"

Loki bit his lip, unsure whether or not he should address why Peter lived with his aunt not his parents. Were they dead? Criminals? Had they abandoned their young son? Did he talk so much they threw themselves off a cliff?

Luckily Shuri saved Loki from having to voice any of his increasingly inappropriate mental ramblings.

"Well we are glad to have you here now." Shuri said with another of her stunning smiles just as their first period teacher walked in the door. "You are going to love it here."


	3. Chapter 3

Nebula was nervous for the swim team tryouts. She had tried out so many times, and last year was the first time she'd successfully made the team. She was desperate to make the team again this year. She wanted to prove she was good enough, that last year wasn't a fluke, and that she was as good as her sister. Gamora was like a shark, she swam silent, deep and fast. She had won every meet last year. Nebula wanted to win this year, she wanted to beat her so bad. Her twin sister whom she looked nothing like, her twin sister whom had made the team every year since they were freshman, her sister who was cool, well liked and good at everything she tried. Her beautiful ebony sister that had shut her out.

Nebula ran a hand through her spiky short blue hair and glanced in the changing room mirror. Her natural brown roots were starting to show, she needed to dye it again. She tried to ignore the scars on her arms and legs, and the still and shiny glass eye that everyone stared at. With her good eye, its brown depths outshone by the painted iris on the glass one, she cast her critical gaze over her swimsuit. In keeping with her tough exterior aesthetic, the suit was black, tight, and showed off her strong sleek build. Her skin was pale and the silver piercings in her ears, eyebrow and in the middle of her nose stood out starkly.

After a few deep breathes and some quick stretches Nebula was ready to face the challenge ahead. She left the changing rooms and made her way to the pool. Gamora, Scrapper, Natasha and a lot of other girls were already there, some sitting around on the edge of the pool, though most were practicing their speeds and timing one another.

Nebula could tell immediately that the competition was strong this year. There was only five spots on the team, for the whole school, not just her year. The school sports teams weren't divided and separate for freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors. Literally anyone from the four years could try out, and the best ones were picked.

There were at least 30 girls waiting to try out today. Two spots were as good as taken. Gamora and Scrapper had never failed to make the team. The other three were less clearly taken. Two of the school's star swimmers had graduated last year. Nebula prayed desperately as she eased herself into the pool that she would secure the spot she had so proudly held last year. She had never gotten less than second or third in every heat she'd competed in during her time on the team.

She knew she was good, but she also knew that she had yet to show that she could be the champion her twin was.

At the same time that Nebula Black prepared for swim team tryouts, across the campus Loki Odinson was preparing Shuri King and Peter Parker for the most delicious experience of their lives.

"Krumkake?" Peter tried to wrap his NYC Queens borough drawl around the Norwegian word.

"Yes, krumkake." Loki repeated the word in his best imitation of his mother's beautiful accent. "It's my favourite dessert, and mother is making a huge batch today."

"I for one am genuinely excited. I love dessert." Shuri was keen to try this traditional Norwegian dish that she'd heard Loki go on about on multiple occasions.

"Me too." Loki admittedly sheepishly. He was bringing Shuri and Peter to his home at Peters enthusiastic suggestion, and he was both nervous and excited.

"You'll love it," He promised confidently, throwing a shy smile at the people he hoped he would become close friends with this year. "Mother stuffs the shaped cookies with chocolate, cream and jam."

"Oh man, I'm drooling already." Peter had to walk quickly to keep up with his leggy classmates as they crossed the parking lot at school.

Shuri laughed and Loki smiled at Peters contribution to the conversation, and all three of them climbed into Thor's unlocked Ford truck once they reached it. There was no football practice after school today, so Loki was expecting Thor any second. He'd jumped into the passenger side of the front bench seat, and Shuri and Peter had piled into the cramped bench behind him in the double cab. Shuri was carting around her backpack full of books and papers, her cello, and one of her robot projects.

Peter had stuck to Shuri and Loki all day, and both juniors had enjoyed the addition to their little group. They chatted quietly together until Loki saw Thor approaching the truck. His initial smile and wave of greeting was lost when he noticed who Thor was walking toward the vehicle with. Loki's heart fluttered briefly in excitement before plummeting into his stomach. He licked his lips anxiously and tried not to stare at Tony Stark as he grew steadily closer.

The handsome senior was dwarfed by Thor's hulking figure, and yet he stood out thanks to his striking good looks and confident swagger. Loki gulped and adverted his eyes when the two older boys reached the truck.

"Hey brother, brothers' friends." Thor said gruffly but politely, nodding to the back seat after swung open the door.

Loki tried to remember how to breathe as Tony Stark opened the passenger door. Behind him he heard Peter and Shuri chorused their hellos and beside him Thor hauled his muscular frame into the driver's seat. With the door open there was mere inches of space between Tony Stark's strong, tall frame and Loki's skinny little self.

"Scoot over little brother," Thor's voice pierced through the fog swirling around in Loki's head. "We've gotta all squeeze in."

"I am sorry I have so many belongings with me today." Shuri apologised from the entirely full backseat. Beside her Peter Parker was partially obscured by her large cello case.

"Not a problem, there's room for everyone." Thor reassured her easily and tossed a smile her way.

Loki, conceding internally that there was no room in the back, somehow forced his frozen and foreign feeling limbs into motion. He shuffled along the seat and pressed himself into the safety that was his brother. He pulled his backpack onto his knees and clutched it tightly.

"Cheers, Loki right?" Tony Stark said casually as he jumped up into the truck. Loki nodded silently and stifled a squeak. Tony settled in beside him and slammed the door shut. Thor started the engine and they quickly pulled out of the parking lot.

Discussion started around him, but all Loki could focus on was the warmth on Tony's toned thigh against his leg. Loki was squished between his brother and the handsome, popular boy he'd so embarrassingly crashed into earlier in the day. The contact between him and Tony was burning hot, the only thing hotter was the blush flushing Loki's usually pale face. He kept his eyes down and tried not to stare at the way his black jeans were pressed against Tony's expensive chinos. Tony's body, even through their respective clothes, was so warm and enticing. He almost sputtered aloud as he imagined the humiliation if the rich, handsome genius beside him noticed the burgeoning crush Loki could feel blooming deep in the pit of his empty stomach.

The trip home had never felt so long before, and even the snow starting to fly past the truck as they sped down the road didn't distract Loki from his anxious excitement and horror at sitting so close to such a gorgeous human being.

He found himself unconsciously tapping his knee, his hand pale and slender against the dark fabric on his jeans. He kept glancing at Tony Stark, his brow creased with worry and he hoped the older boy hadn't noticed his fidgeting. If he did, to his credit, he hadn't said a word about it.

Instead he chatted conversationally with Thor. If Loki had been able to concentrate on their discussion he would have learnt, as his friends did, that the reason the unlikely duo of the millionaire heir/super genius and Thor, the loveable meathead jock, had been assigned as partners on the seniors first project of the school year.

Loki was jolted out of his deep and erratic thoughts when Thor pulled into their driveway and shut off the engine.

There was a chorus of thanks and the opening and closing of doors as everyone exited the truck. Loki scrambled to follow them, trying to function regularly while feeling relieved that the experience of sitting so close to Tony was over as well as disappointed at the same time.

He followed the group inside and stepped gingerly around the mess of shoes, backpacks and gear everyone had dropped at the front door. He placed his own backpack neatly on the hall table and joined his friends, who had followed their noses into the kitchen.

Thor and Tony had gone into the den to start brainstorming their project, and Loki was left with people he was comfortable with. His mother, the gentle and nurturing Frigga, already had his friends sitting at the kitchen table and was stirring what smelt like hot chocolate in a pan on the stove.

"Loki my friend, your mother's kitchen smells like heaven." Shuri said delightedly. She patted the seat beside her, and Loki slipped into it after greeting his mother with a kiss to the cheek.

"Ooh, it so is. Smells like a delicious baking filled, hot chocolatey heaven." Peter chimed in through a mouthful of what Loki could only guess was something his mother had whipped up while they were at school.

"You're all too kind." Frigga acknowledged them with a warm smile and bustled about her kitchen. "How was your first day back today? Peter, I assume you've moved here only recently?"

"Yes mam," Peter replied, always polite. "Just relocated with my aunt from Queens."

"And you are most welcome here Peter." Shuri said before her eyes lit up at the sight of the freshly prepared Krumkake Frigga was bringing over to the hungry sixteen-year-olds gathered at her table.

"Well I hope you have fun here and please visit whenever you like. Our home is your home." Frigga extended a genuine invitation before ruffling her son's hair, much to his dismay, and leaving the kids to their hot chocolate and traditional Norwegian cookies.

Loki smoothed his hair back in place as Shuri and Peter tucked into the food. As promised, his mothers baking was mouth wateringly delicious. He didn't join in on the snacking, but he did join them in an epic conversation about their hared hatred of reality tv shows.

That cosy afternoon become a common occurrence as the first several days of the semester went by. Most days after school Shuri and Peter and Loki hung out together, either at Shuri's mansion, or in Loki's familiar homestead. Though winter persisted, on the occasional clear day the trio would wander town or the local parks and quickly got to know one another better.

Once or twice a week Tony came to the Odinson house and studied with Thor. Sometimes Loki would hover in the doorway and listen to the low rumble of their voices, and sometimes he summoned the courage to be brave enough to venture into the den under the pretence of getting a book or magazine.

Mostly he tried to ignore the butterflies in his stomach and focus on his newfound joy in friendship.

Peter didn't share Loki and Shuri's love of fashion, and Loki's impressive Vogue collection was lost on him. He did however do his best to be involved with it. On a similar level, Shuri and Peter's shared passion for robotics, invention, science and technology didn't interest Loki in the slightest. But the animated and enthusiastic way they spoke and argued about various subjects entertained him endlessly. If either of the people he was fast growing strong friendships with noticed the way he pined over Tony Stark, neither of them mentioned it to Loki.

He hoped he had been subtle enough that no one had noticed. After all it was only three weeks into the semester, and he had barely spoken more than two words to the senior. He still hadn't gotten used to have the god-like boy in his home on a regular basis though.

And apparently Thor hadn't either.

Just shy of four weeks into school, the tall muscular blond was leaning against the noticeboard outside the school hall, a red beanie pulled low over his long hair and the collar of his jacket turned up. Beside him his best friend Korg was lighting up a cigarette.

"Smoke, bro?" Korg Stone offered, his unique New Zealand accent thicker thanks to his recent visit to his home country.

"Nah thanks." Thor replied, as he always did.

"All good, chur." Korg said as he tucked his lighter back in his pocket and took a long drag of smoke. Korg was slightly shorter than Thor, wideset, strong with a mop of black hair, dark brown skin and sparkling dark eyes. He wore an oversized hoodie, labelled sweatpants, expensive sneakers and a greenstone pounamu on a thin rope around his neck. Beneath his sleeves his arms were inked with traditional tattoos that wove the story of his ancestors and Maori heritage.

"Oooh, do you have a light?" Natasha Romanoff hurried up to them, ducking behind Korg's bulk to get put of the cold wind blowing around the building.

"Yeah girl, of course." Korg bent down and lit the cigarette Natasha was holding between her red painted lips. Thor greeted her with a nod, taking in her all black outfit, bright lipstick and heavy kohl eyeliner.

"You here for swim team results too?" Korg asked the sexy redhead as they huddled together and puffed on their cigarettes furtively.

"Nope, decided not to try out this year." Natasha replied before casting a glance around for teachers or potential narcs. "Gonna focus on martial arts."

"Fuck yeah, that shits good girl." Korg replied before nodding towards Thor. "This one fights good, but he's all about the football aye."

Thor shrugged and offered them a good natured smile. "What can I say, lots of football scholarships out there."

"True that." Natasha replied thoughtfully and took another drag on her cigarette. She turned back to Korg. "Do you think you'll make the team again?" Her tone was playful, neither she nor anyone else had any doubt Korg would make the swim team. He was the best swimmer in the county, he was like a fish in water and it was ridiculous to imagine him not on the team.

"Yeah, I reckon I've got a shot aye." Korg smiled and put out his smoke stub on the brick building beside them. He pulled out anther and lit up as Thor's teammate, and Natasha's best friend Clint Barton sauntered up to them. He flicked the cigarette out of Natasha's mouth, caught it in mid-air and took a long drag of nicotine and tobacco.

"Oi, fuck off with that mess Barton." Natasha reprimanded him before nabbing back her cigarette. The two playfully passed it back and forth for the next few minutes until Thor, ever the faithful look out announced that he a teacher was coming. All three of his friends quickly put out their cigarettes and shoved some of the dirty snow at their feet over the butts.

Mr Coulson, the mild mannered man who ran the sports division of the school walked up to the bulletin board beside the windblown teens and started tacking up crisp sheets of paper.

"Good morning Miss Romanoff, Mr Odinson, Mr Stone and Mr Barton." Mr Coulson greeted them with a smile accompanied by a knowing wink. "Out for some fresh air are we?"

The group muttered and shuffled awkwardly in response until their teacher had finished his task and left them again. Within moments of him leaving students swarmed to the bulletin board, seemingly coming out of the woodwork and thin air to clamour nervously at the board and see who made which sports teams this year.

The football team tryouts had been conducted prior to school starting. The team was always ready to go on day one of the school year.

Gamora Black and Valkyrie Scrapper made their way loftily through the crowd and came to stand at the front, right next to wear Thor still leaned against the cold brick wall. He glanced over and saw that both girls had made the team, which was of no surprise to him. They were fantastic athletes. He also noticed how good both girls looked, especially Gamora with her fitted white puffer jacket stark against her tight black jeans and smooth brown skin. Her wavy hair tumbled about her shoulders as she turned to congratulate her best friend. Thor blatantly watched them hug, his piercing eyes transfixed on how much their faces lit up as they held each other. He'd always envied girls' friendships. It was a weird thing to say, he knew. And he was a gruff guy, he wasn't a goddamn pussy, he'd just often thought it would be nice to have someone to value and trust, confide in, not have to worry about judgement or sex complicating things. Just a really good friend. Obviously Korg was a great buddy, but he lived life in the chill lane. He steered away from problems should they arise. Thor didn't have that luxury.

He didn't know why this shit was on his mind. Or maybe he did. Having the rich Stark guy as his project partner was becoming a thorn in his side. He didn't really mind Tony, hell he thought he was a pretty funny dude. But he was sick of the constant jeering and judgement from the rest of the football team about hanging with him.

The guys, like Peter Quill, Sam Wilson and Bucky bloody Barnes especially, would coo at him and ask how his new bff was, and if he had gone to study in the Hamptons yet or abroad yet. Teasing was fine, Thor could take a joke, and he could dish one too, but the vibe with the guys had changed. It wasn't like he was even friends with Tony, but already he could feel a divide with the more meat headed guys on the team. Steve Rodgers, his straight laced captain took no part in the teasing and tomfoolery, but he had made it clear to Thor that he didn't trust Tony and that he didn't want any of his drama affecting the team. Even decent dudes like Clint seemed pretty unkeen for a member of their squad to be hanging around with someone like Tony Stark. It annoyed Thor because he personally liked not belonging to one group. That was part of why he liked what he saw of girls' friendships so much. They seemed like such individual bonds, the relationships so unique. They seemed to choose their friendships based off more than what team they both played for, or hobby they both liked.

And that was why Thor was feeling frustrated about life. Because he felt like this who is friends with who thing was exceptionally immature, and frankly, uninteresting. And yet he felt obligated to stick by his team. He needed that team. Football was his only hope of making it to college.

But, to stay on the team he also needed good grades, so he was gonna have to figure out a way to balance everything until the project was finally fucking finished.

"Thor, you joining Saturday morning kickboxing sessions in town at the gym?" Gamora broke Thor's intense train of thought with a curious question and a dazzling smile.

Thor nodded and glanced at the glittering silver ring that pierced the delicate skin on her nose. "Definitely, signed up for the next two months."

"I'll look forward to seeing you there." Gamora winked at him and turned slowly to leave, allowing Thor an excellent view of her voluptuous hourglass figure as she and Scrapper disappeared into the crowd.

"Bloody hell." Korg muttered after the girls were out of earshot. "She wants you bad mate."

"Shut up." Thor brushed him off with a laugh but couldn't help but think about how it might be to stare into her intense eyes and watch her long lashes sweep her dark skin as she closed them and pressed her lips to his. Fuck, maybe he was a romantic at heart. Not surprising, considering both his mother and his little brother were majorly sappy. Only his older sister didn't seem to give a damn about feelings. And he'd always strived to be like her, though admittedly on more than one occasion he had questioned if she was a god role model or not.

Still thinking about his family Thor had a look around the thinning crowd for his brother, but he didn't see Loki anywhere. He wasn't surprised, Loki was not one for sports. Though both his mates were. Thor gazed over the sports announcements and saw Loki's little friend Shuri had made the track and swim teams, as well as the cheerleading squad.

That new kid Parker was listed as well. On the football team.

Thor did a doubletake when he saw the football post. The team had already been selected. He scanned it quickly, everything else was the same, guards tackle, quarterback, everyone was in their earned position. Everyone except the position of tight end. Instead of one of the many big tough sportsmen the school boasted, the position had gone to the scrawny new kid. Huh. Maybe he'd tried out once he transferred? Thor didn't know, and he knew Steve wouldn't tell him. He was too honourable to share privileged information meant only for the team captain.

Eh, maybe the kid would be good. He seemed too small for the position, but if he was fast enough, maybe he'd be okay. Thor was pretty doubtful.

"Aye, move over big guy."

Thor turned around and gave Nebula Black a tight smile. She was definitely his least favourite Black sister. She had a penchant for drama this one. "Sorry." He muttered and moved out of the way.

Nebula ignored his coldness and excitedly stepped forward.

"I made it!" She breathed, relief flooding her as she saw her name printed on the sheet announcing this year's swim team. The self-doubting part of her remembered that accomplished athletes such as her good friend Natasha Romanoff hadn't even tried out this year, but the confident part of herself argued that there had been plenty of tough competition at tryouts. She'd earned this.

Across the campus, inside the warm tech labs Tony Stark was sitting comfortably on a desk and holding the most recent iPhone to his ear.

"Babe, that sounds amazing. Puh-lease send me at least one flirtatious photo featuring a croissant."

"Shhh, you're gonna get me in trouble with my host family." Pepper laughed, her voice tinged with happiness. "I have to go my love."

"Bonjour." Tony said softly and smiled when she blew him a kiss before hanging up. He shoed his phone into his pocket and sat in silence for a moment, just reminiscing on the sound of her voice and the memories leading up to her departure. God, he missed that girl.

She did sound as though she was having a wonderful time, and she had made it clear to him several times during their almost hour long phone call that she missed him as much as he missed her. And so, he was content. Or as content as he could be.

He glanced up from his trancelike state when he heard noise in the corridor, and he watched through the glass pane in the door as Loki Odinson walked past, likely on his way to find Shuri King in the lab next door.

Tony pretended that he hadn't noticed this routine. But he had. He caught himself leaning forward so he could watch the willowy raven-haired boy longer, and stood up straight, inwardly berating himself.

"You're content Tony." He muttered aloud, trying to convince himself as he turned away and went back to his work. "You're content."


End file.
